During a brief respite in the Korean War, a North Korean officer Jang Il-goo defects to South Korea in order to find his lover. But she has already married a South Korean lieutenant. This is a war melodrama about the tragic relationship between two men and a woman who can’t make up her mind between them. In an era when war movies were synonymous to anti-communism movies, this film was unique in having almost no allusions to anti-communism.It was also conspicuous for its melodramatic characters rather than any war spectacles. What is interesting is that in this love triangle, the rapport between the men was portrayed much more powerfully than the love between men and woman. It can thus be called a male melodrama– the men from North and South are completely captivated by each other and confess to bonds stronger than the normal loyalty and respect calls for. The author of the radio version of the movie, Han Woon-sa, brings an outstanding scenario, Shin Young-kyun plays a captivating North Korean character, and Kim Kee-duk commands the drama to stimulate our senses. It is also well remembered for its theme song, ‘Doesn’t Anyone Knowthis Person?’ (KANG Sowon)

Released by the Korean Film Archive, the Historical Films About the Korean Empire boxset contains four classic films about the Korean independence movement; King Gojong and Martyr Ahn Jung Geun (1959), Blood Bamboo (1959), The Independence Association and Lee Seung Man (1959), and Ah! Baek Beom Kim Gu (1960).

King Gojong and Martyr Ahn Jung Geun (1959 / dir. Jeon Chang Geun)The largest-scale film ever produced at the time, this blockbuster biopic directed by Jeon Chang Keun chronicles the life of Korean independence activist Ahn Jung Geun. The commander of an armed resistance group, he fought against the Japanese colonization of Korea. In 1909, Ahn assassinated Ito Hirobumi, the Japanese Resident-General of Korea, in Manchuria. Remembered as a national hero, Ahn was executed to death in 1910.

Blood Bamboo (1959 / dir. Yoon Bong Choon, Nam Hong Il)A minister of the Korean Empire, Min Yeong Hwan (Kim Dong Won) fought nobly against Japanese coercion in the final years of the Joseon dynasty, but was ultimately unable to save his nation. After the passing of the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905, he committed suicide in as a last act of resistance against Japanese rule.

The Independence Association and Lee Seung Man (1959 / dir. Shin Sang Ok)Directed by Shin Sang Ok, this film is about the struggles and exploits of freedom fighter Lee Seung Man (Kim Jin Kyu). As a member of the Independence Association, he devoted himself to the resistance campaign, but was wrongly charged and imprisoned.

Ah! Baek Beom Kim Gu (1960 / dir. Jeon Chang Geun)Also from actor-director Jeon Chang Keun, Ah! Baek Beom Kim Gu is about independence leader Kim Gu, who participated in the Donghak Movement and helped establish the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in China as a base for Japanese resistance during the colonial period. He was the last president of the Provisional Government.